World War 1 Flashcards
1
Q
what were the long term causes of the war?
A
Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism
2
Q
What is the assassination described as?
A
The spark that ignited the first world war
3
Q
define militarism
A
an ideology that glorifies military ideals and culture and advocates the necessity to have strong-armed forces and to use them to win political or economic advantages
4
Q
define nationalism
A
Nationalism: a strong identification with others who share a common language and heritage and a belief that the interests of one’s state are of primary importance
5
Q
define imperialism
A
the activity and ideology of empire building; in order to further political powers and the resources of another nation. It is a system in which a country rules over other countries sometimes using force to gain control over them.
6
Q
What was the arms race?
A
All the major powers were trying to build up their armies
The armaments race both resulted from, and further heightened, tensions among all of the great powers leading up to war
The armaments race accelerated leading up to the war
7
Q
Militarism outline:
A
Each of the great powers of Europe adopted a militaristic approach to the world
Vast sums of money were expended by the ruling elites if the great powers to build massive military capabilities that far exceeded the needs of the pure defence
8
Q
What were the main military fears leading up to the war?
A
Germany’s fears of increases in russian armaments and british fear of naval brigade contributed heavily to the cause of war
9
Q
Industrial revolution effect on militarism:
A
new weapons produced during the industrial revolution in the late 1800’s heightened existing tensions among european nations as they strove to technologically outpace their enemies
10
Q
When did militarism start speeding up and why?
A
From 1900 the world witness an unprecedented build-up of armed forces by the great powers as they sought to maximise their geopolitical clout and relieve their anxieties about future threats to their regimes
11
Q
Militarisma nd masculinity:
A
War was regarded as the ultimate test of masculinity. This viewpoint was promoted by the education system, press, propaganda and politicians
12
Q
Franco Prussian war
A
Prussian victory over France in the Franco-Prussian war in 1871 and the subsequent formation of the German empire made Germany the dominant power in Europe
13
Q
What was Germanys mainconcern leading up to the war?
A
The German chancellor saw the answer to protecting it from challenges from France and maintaining a power position was through isolating France and ensuring it has no allies
It was aware it would otherwise fight on two fronts
14
Q
Who were the great powers?
A
The Five great powers: Germany, Russia, Britain, France and Austria-Hungary
15
Q
Which alliance fell through before the war?
A
Germany formed an alliance with Russia and Austria- Hungary in order to protect itself from fighting on two fronts, however, the issues in the Balkan region created further problems
16
Q
Why did the alliance bwteen germany, russia and Austria-Hungary fail?
A
Austria-Hungary and Russia were both competing for the Balkan states and Austria-Hungary was ready to go to war with Russia over this area
Bismark now had to mediate between his allies, with Russia having to surrender territory
The establishment of Serbia, handover of turkish territories to Austria-Hungary created tension
There was growing resentfulness and suspicion from Russia towards German policy
17
Q
WHo were the alliances in ww1?
A
Austria-Hungary, Germany and italy were the central alliance
France, Britannia dn Russia were the Triple Entente
18
Q
Summary of alliances as cause for war:
A
As a result of these alliances, the spark that ignited the war drew all great powers into the war
19
Q
Imperialism in 1500’s
A
since the 1500’s european nations were spreading and discovering and colonising new lands
20
Q
why were countries spreading their empires?
A
Over the next few centuries these powers built extensive empire and built up trade networks to acquire materials to enrich their own colonies
21
Q
Industrialisation effect on imperialism
A
The industrial evolution further enhanced European domination transferring them from agrarian to manufacturing economies
22
Q
What happened around the 19th century in terms of imperialism?
A
Control tightened around the 19th century and the empires became caught up in the race for the empire
The formation of italy and germany in 1871 intensified this, both nations felt nationalism and wanted to spread their power and fuel their economies
The scramble for africa was a result of this new period of imperialism
23
Q
why did wars occur as a result of imperialism?
A
In the quest to build empires the imperial powers commonly came into conflict, many wars occurred as a result of this intense political rivalry
24
Q
Nationalism and problems in the Balkans
A
there were people who possessed a common language and tradition but did not reside in nation states with defined borders. These people were frustrated in their nationalistic fevour
Most of the Balkans (south-east of Europe) fell into this category of frustrated nationalism because many of the ethnic groups did not rule themselves here
25
nationalism in the Balkans summary
Consequently, the Balkans were a dangerous mix of frustrated nationalism and geopolitical rivalry and were an unending source of concern for the rest of Europe
26
who was assasinated?
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
27
who killed him?
Serbian Gavrilo Princip of the Black hand terrorist group killed him in Bosnia
28
Assassination implications:
Austria-Hungary used this as an excuse to invade Serbia and was backed by Germany
Russia then became involved and as a result so did France
With Germany threatening to go through the neutral Belgium drew Britain into the war and consequently all of its colonies
29
Belgium and Britain alliance
On August 4, Britain declared war after Germany had invaded neutral Belgium
The British Government had previously promised to defend Belgium and felt that German troops directly across the Channel were too close for comfort.
On 7 August, four divisions making up a British Expeditionary Force crossed to France to attempt to halt the German advance.
With French forces, they were successful in achieving their objective at the Battle of Mons (August) and the Battle of the Marne (September).
30
when did britain declar war on germany
august 4
31
what day did ww1 start?
28 Jul 1914
32
what day did ww1 end
11 Nov 1918
33
Race to the sea
After both the French and German troop movements halted, the two armies engaged in a series of outflanking manoeuvres, made more urgent by the strategic need to capture crucial channel ports on the French and Belgian coastline, for resupply in the event of a drawn-out war.
This period from October to 17 November involved heavy fighting, particularly the First Battle of Ypres in Belgium
34
Western front:
The western front was 400+ miles long which weaved its way through France and BElgium, from the Swiss border to the North sea, it was the decisive front during WW1
35
Eastern Front:
The Eastern front stretched from the Baltic sea in the north to the black sea in the south. It included Eastern Europe and stretched into Central Europe. In area, it was much larger than the western front.
36
fighting on the eastern front
Germany's resistance was rushed but effective
By 1915 Germany was moving into Russia and russian troops suffered defeats in 1915 and 1916
In 1917 the Tsar abdicated and bolsheviks seized power
The spread out nature of the Eastern front meant that trenches were largely ineffective, and it was the mobility and training of the German troops that proved to be decisive
By March, 1918, German troops were within striking distance of the Russian Capital, Petrograd, and the Bolsheviks concluded the treaty of Brest-Litovsk that withdrew Russia from the war and ended the war on the Eastern Front
37
what was the schlieffen plan?
Designed to allow the Germans to fight a war on two fronts
38
Did the schiefflen plan change?
However, the Germans faced difficulties and were not able to execute it as expected:
They faced resistance from belgium
Both Britain and Russia mobilised quicker than expected
As a result of the above setbacks they shortened their curve and were not able to wrap around to Paris. They also placed less troops than they had originally planned.
39
Causes of it being a global war
imperialism, alliances and industrialisation
40
what is total war
Total War is the heavy involvement and coordination of civilians in contributing to the war effort.
The notion that a nation’s entire social, political and economic structures should be devoted to the war effort.
In a total war the role of the home front can prove as decisive as victories on the battlefield.
41
End of empire
the collapse of the great empires that had dominated the 19th century
After the war Russia lost much of its European empire, including Poland and the Baltic States
The Austro-Hungarian Empire ceased to exist as new states were created and others gained more land (Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia)
Germany lost about 13% of its territory. Its imperial possessions were taken from it and given to various powers, including Britain, Japan and Australia.
The Ottoman Empire collapsed and evolved into the modern state of Turkey
42
'war to end all wars'
This was a phrase that Wilson used to describe the catastrophic destruction and loss of life that WW1 brought about and his desire to establish a new system of international relations to prevent future conflicts.
43
Immediate Legacy
Destruction, chaos, confusion, hatred, fear, casualties and death
Up to 25 million dead, countless millions injured or suffering from psychological trauma
Millions of refugees and tens of thousands of prisoners to be repatriated
Starvation and disease
Germany – months before food and medical supplies entered the country. Political violence from the left and right.
North Eastern France and Belgium had been devastated.
The German economy had collapsed, Britain and France faced mass unemployment, were deeply in debt and had lost valuable export markets to Japan and the US. Postwar economic cooperation was unlikely in the face of French demands for revenge and reparations.
Fear of communism grew after the revolution in Russia
44
when was the Paris Peace Conference?
The conference lasted from January 1919 to January 1920
45
The Paris Peace Conference
The Paris Peace Conference, was the meeting that inaugurated the international settlement after WW1.
32 nations were present but proceedings were dominated by those who became known as the “Big Three” – US President Woodrow Wilson, French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George.
There were five treaties that were signed. They were named after the area in which they were signed.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed with Germany on the 28th June 1919
Germany was not allowed to participate in the negotiations
46
The treaty of versailed
signed with Germany on the 28th June 1919
| -created great tensions to cause ww2
47
Clemenceau goals
Hated Germany, wanted to protect France from any subsequent attack
Wanted to break the German war machine
Realist – aware of the importance of politics – experienced
48
clemenceau role
Dominated proceedings as conference was in Paris and he was president of conference
Ultimately failed in his goal of security as he had hoped to separate the Rhineland from the rest of Germany
Aggressive in his dealings
49
Goals of Lloyd George
Had promised the electorate revenge
Wanted to destroy the German fleet and their colonial empire
Wanted to re-establish trade and increase British colonial possessions
Wanted to prevent any country from dominating Europe
Was not as intent on the destruction of Germany as Clemenceau
50
role of Lloyd George
Attempted to strike a balance between the extremes of both positions
51
Goals of Wilson
Wanted to make the world safe for democracy
| Aimed to redraw the map of Europe according to national self determination
52
Role of WIlson
Ineffectual because he was inexperienced in European diplomacy, he was also stubborn and arrogant
He was in an odd position – leader of the strongest nation in the world yet his political position was weaker than Lloyd George and Clemenceau
In the end the USA refused to ratify the Paris Peace Settlement and didn’t join the League of Nations
53
Territorial provisions:
| The Treaty of Versailles
Lost 13% territory in Europe – including 7 million people
Forbidden to enter an Anschluss with Austria
Alsace and Lorraine returned to France
Saar region placed under League of Nations jurisdiction for 15 years, France given control of coal mines
Rhineland to be demilitarized
54
Military provisions
The Treaty of Versailles
Army reduced to 100 000
No tanks or heavy artillery
No air force
Navy reduced – no submarines, ships over a certain size banned, others limited in number
55
Economic provisions:
| The Treaty of Versailles
Reparations to be paid by Germany to the Allies for the damage inflicted
Belgium and France to also receive large amounts of German machinery, locomotives and rolling stock
Germany had to supply the Allies with large amounts of coal
56
War Gult Clause
| The Treaty of Versailles
Article 231 blamed Germany for the war and all the damage that the war had brought
57
Reasons for Allied Victory and German Collapse
Long term Factors
```
The Failure of the Schlieffen Plan
Cumulative effects of the Allied strategy of “Attrition”
Strains on the German homefront
Entry of the United States
Strength of Allies
```
58
The Failure of the Schlieffen Plan
* France and Britain were not defeated and Germany was faced with a two-front war. German supplies, armies and transport were always divided.
* Even after the defeat of Russia, an occupation army had to be left on the Eastern Front.
59
Cumulative effects of the Allied strategy of “Attrition”
* The blockade of Germany by the British navy prevented access to many necessary resources from outside the European territories of the Central Powers
* The Allies could use the resources of the British and French empires
* In the early years of the war America financial and material support was directed more toward the Allies than to the Central Powers
* The war of attrition suited the Allies more than the Central Powers as they were more capable of sustaining the massive expenditure of human, industrial and financial resources needed to outlast the other side
60
Strains on the German homefront
• Disillusionment and war weariness, strikes, shortages, inflation and suffering – German people suffered far more than those on the Allied homefronts. This caused Germany to reinstate its U boat campaign which brought the USA into the war
61
Strength of Allies
* The support given by Germany’s allies, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria, was largely ineffectual. Between 1914 and 1917 none was able to break through on any of the fronts each was allocated
* The political mistakes of invading Belgium and unrestricted submarine warfare alienated many of the neutral countries of the war and brought the Unites States into the war
* Allied propaganda was more effective in rallying world sympathy for their cause
62
Entry of the United States
• Increased morale of Allies, decreased morale of Germany, gave allies more men, money and resources
63
Reasons for Allied Victory and German Collapse
| Short Term Factors
Exhaustion of German army
Arrival of American troops
Improved Allied Generalship
Tactics and Weapons
64
Exhaustion of German army
• Large casualties throughout war, many elite forces killed in Ludendorff Offensive
65
Arrival of American troops
• Gave allies more men and allowed more experienced soldiers to be rested before being used in final offensive
66
Improved Allied Generalship
* Strong centralization of in the German High Command revealed weakness of relying too much on the ability of the most senior generals
* Part of the success of the Allies in 1918 came from their more effective command structures. Many Allied generals had been replaced by juniors who had experience of battlefield command e.g. John Monash who combined intelligent application of tactics with effective coordination of troops and technology
* Foch, as Commander in Chief of all Allied Forces in 1918, smoothed over national differences and imposed his will on battlefields. He organized the allocation of resources during the German Spring Offensive and directed the Allied counter offensives with great skill, allowing generals to fight their own battles within the broad plan.
67
Tactics and Weapons
• It was not until late in the war that modern weapons were able to be deployed to the advantage of the attacking soldiers. For example, the creeping barrage could be used to cover the front and sides of men in the open, the fall of a shot could be accurately predicted, tanks were used en masse to provide cover, aircraft were used to strafe and bomb enemy trenches, wave attacks were replaced with combined infantry, air and artillery assaults
68
Verdun
February 21, 1916 - December 18
69
Somme
1 July 1916 – 18 November 1916
| Biggest casualties in Britains military history
70
Passchendaele
July 31st till November 10th, 1917.
71
Tannenberg
26 August 1914 – 30 August 1914
72
Beersheba
31 October 1917
Aussie light horseman
The capture of Beersheba enabled British Empire forces to break the Ottoman line near Gaza on 7 November and advance into Palestine
73
Scientific and industrial developments in weaponry
```
Rifle:
Machine gun:
Artillery:
Grenades:
Flame throwers:
Airplanes:
Gas:
Tank:
```
74
advances in medicine
Major advances in medicine occurred due to dire need in WW1.
Both antiseptic and anaesthesia saved lots of lives.
75
women’s lives and the changing role of women
-working in factories such as ammunition
-when men came back expected to go back to old work
-had an important role on home front in war of attrition
-after ww1 became illegal to excuse jobs because of gender
increase of job opportunities post war
improvements in health
women used for propaganda purposes
76
German conscription
Conscription was compulsory pre war for all men between 17-45
77
British propaganda
Beginning of the war was to promote patriotic support and enlistment.
Anti-Germany tone
1916 change of tone to emphasis on national sacrifice and unity on home front
78
Stalemate
Massive campaigns in Verdun, the Somme and on the Eastern Front resulted in enormous casualties
with minimal strategic gains.
• Romania’s entry into the war on the side of the Allies backfired as German forces quickly overran the
country.
• The ‘league of nations’ idea was discussed at the highest levels and the idea of a negotiated peace was
aired publicly in the German and American Peace Notes.
• With Lloyd George’s ‘Knock-out Blow Coalition’ the British government was determined to ramp up the
war effort in a fight to the finish.
Chapter
79
Stalemate 1916
By late 1914, Schlieffen plan had failed. Germans dug into their territory in France and Belgium
To break a stalemate Germans aimed attack at French town of Verdun from feb-dec 1916. To take pressure off Verdun, British troops launched an attack at the Somme River region in France from July to November 1916. This forced the Germans to redeploy their manpower.
These two battles caused millions of casualties but didn’t break the stalemate. War went into 1917/1918.
80
trench life features
- No mans land
- Trenches filled with water causing trench foot – lead to gangrene.
- Smell of trenches filled with rotting ppl.
- Flies gathered.
- Lice fed, could lead to sores and infection
- Sickness developed; pneumonia, dysentery, frostbite, trench foot etc.
- Usually enough food but was terrible.
- Boredom and discomfort usually.
- Shell shock set in.
- Big difference between experiences of commanders and soldiers – caused resentment.
81
rifle
- Deadly between 500m-1km.
82
mahine gun
- 450 rounds per minute.
83
artillery
- Range from 8-20 kilometres.
84
Grenades
- Handheld bombs
85
Flame throwers
- Short range and duration
86
Airplanes
- Excellent for recon. Ineffective at fighting at first until developments in guns and bombs
87
Gas
- New weapon designed to clear trenches.
88
Tank
- Possibly most significant and influential. Changed the tide of the war due to Britain use.
89
Attitudes beginning
- Enthusiastic
- Excited for adventure
- Certain that it would be a short decisive war.
Both sides saw themselves as serving the righteous cause.
90
reasons for enlisting
- ignorance
- Unquestioning loyalty
- Were doing gods will
- Earing a good living
- Escape from poverty
- Peer pressure
- Propaganda
- Camaraderie.
91
Attitudes changed after development of a stalemate:
- Realities of trench warfare set in due to huge losses, little gain
- Despair, loss of morale
- Opposition to war grew.
- Poor leadership made bad attitudes.
German troops became bitter as they heard of unrest at home and food shortages.
92
Attitudes of soldiers at the end of the war:
- Anti climax
- Relief
- No exhilaration
- Suspicion that it was not the end.
93
impact of war on civillians
| social/economic
Suffered worse, food shortages, govt control of industry, civilians involved in war work – 3.5 million.
- Shortages lead to breakdown of German
- The British naval blockade was very effective.
- DEC 1916 Auxiliary service law could order anyone 17-16 to work for war effort
- industrial production dropped by 30-40 percent between 1913-1917
- Agriculture dropped 50-70%.
94
Rationing Germany
- First rationing in 1915. By 1917 official ration was half of recommend daily intake.
95
Social and economic impact on British civilians:
- Occasionally bombarded by Germans.
- Britain initially lagged behind Germany in general production
- Got better and more efficient as war progressed.
Defence of the Realm Act, august 1914. Gave govt many new powers to fight the war:
- Free trade ended due to govt controls
- Govt controlled wages, working conditions, industrial production.
- Man power board was created to deploy work force efficiently.
- Alcohol watered down to stop drinking
- Power to force workers into certain jobs
- Power to arrest citizens without warrants
- Munitions of War Act 1915 brought ammunition production under GOVT control.
- By 1917 meat was being rationed.
96
Britian conscription
- At start of the war Britain’s army was only a small volunteer regular army (British expeditionary force).British parliament passed a law to recruit 500k men immediately at start of the war.
May 1916, Universal conscription Bill which decreed that ALL men could be conscripted.
97
British civillians attitude to war
- Initial reaction was to support the war and create political unity.
- Public attitudes changed after battle of the Somme due to huge losses for little gain
- Reasons for war weariness included:
o Continued bad news
o Bombing raids
o Hunger and queues for rations
o Divisions in society.
Only in August 1918 did newspapers report good news due to increased success.
98
Gemran civillians attitude to war
- Initial reaction was to support the war and create political unity.
- Hardships led to opposition to the war and demands for peace.
- Spartacus league: formed to protest war in 1915. Had peace rally in berlin in 1917.
- German social/ political unity began to crack in 1917
o April 1917, Social democratic party demanded that they would withdraw support of the war if political reform did not occur.
o July 1917, Peace resolution passed but rejected by the Kaiser.
- April 1917, first major workers strike.
- Jan 1918, weeklong antiwar strike with 1 million people.
- By October/ November 1918 was nearly at a socialist revolution.
- 9 nov 1918 Kaiser abdicated; 11 nov 1918 Germany signed the armistice.
99
Collapse of Russian empire
```
By early 1917 the war had caused social, economic and political disintegration in Russia.
o 7 million killed
o Food shortages
o Major social unrest
o Poor performance in war
```
- Due to revolutionary sentiment Tsar Nicholas II had to abdicate the throne in march 1917.
- Provisional GOVT took over to continue war effort.
- NOV 1917, Communists seized control. Was peaceful. Most Russians welcomed the new govt due to provisional govt failing to cause change.
- Communist govt negotiated end of the war with Germany.
- Was forced to unconditionally surrender in March 1918.
100
How Russian collapse and withdrawal impacted on the war:
Gave Germany
- War on two fronts ended for Germany
- 52 divisions of German troops could be moved to the western front.
However, it wasn’t as good as it should have been for Germany:
- No transport for Russian assets to Germany.
- 1.5 million German troops had to remain in Russia to control it.
- Troops were given no rest, spread revolutionary sentiment.
101
Reasons for US entry in to the war:
- Allied propaganda
- Ruthless U boat campaign
- Germany rejecting Wilsons call for mediation
- Zimmerman telegram January 1917 with Germany plotting for Mexico to invade US.
- Sinking of the Lusitania. – 7 may 1915
US declared war in April 1917 but did not fully engage on western front until May 1918 due to training of troops.
102
Impact of US entry into war:
- Final nail in Germanys coffin. caused poor German morale
- Main impact designing a convoy system of boats transporting materials safely from attack.
- 4.5 million troops mobilised.
- When they first attacked it made an immediate impact. Contributed heavily to the defeat of Germanys spring offensives.
103
Ludendorff’s spring offensives:
- Was a desperate attempt for Germany to win the war before the Americans entry.
- Made possible by the defeat of Russia and shifting divisions to the western front.
- Aimed to smash through allied lines in northern France.
- Innovation new strategies: Newly mobile troops, Creeping barrage, Speed was essential
104
was Ludendorff’s spring offensives successful?
It was initially successful with big gains, pushing French back 65km in a week. Allied commanders were initially in disarray.
- However, German advance ran out of steam due to stretched supply lines.
- Germans told to dig in.
- When allies counter attacked, they could not withstand it.
- German morale collapsed.
105
ALlied response to spring offensive
- 11, April 1918 – British General Haig gave a ‘no further retreat order’.
- US involvement began may 1918.
- German advances stopped by July 1918
- 18 July Planning for a counter attack began.
- 8th august the allies launched the ‘ hundred day offensive’
- Lead to the end of the war.
- Was very effective: better leadership, improved tactics, improved weapons, US strength
106
Communications
. Radio systems were used by RAF to communicate aerial views..
Significance of railways:
Submarines:
The above developments were due to the war of attrition caused by every country throwing its full industrial might at the war effort as a total war.
107
Significance of railways:
Mainly used for the transportation of men and materials at unprecedented rates. Very vulnerable. Lacked flexibility, effecting movements.
108
Submarines
First conflict in which submarines were a serious weapon of war. Fucked with the British supply lines etc. Germans built up its U boat fleet. Germans could not be effective while acting under international law, announced unrestricted submarine warfare.
109
Radios
Wave wireless sets invented, allowed transmission of messages. Radio systems were used by RAF to communicate aerial views. Morse code and telecommunications by wire became well developed.
- Wires being cut due to bombing was common tho.
110
Antiseptic
Henry Dakin a British biochemist who had perfected a solution of sodium hypochlorite which killed the dangerous bacteria without burning the flesh. A physician Alexis Carrell took the antiseptic and applied it to wounds. Method was known as the “Carrel-Dakin Method” and was adopted by doctors across Europe.
111
ANastheisia
Nitrous oxide was used to put patients to sleep but not in to a state of shock. Use was invented by Agatha Hodgins in Cleveland.
112
Ambulances
Developed in ww1 to transport patients quickly, another invention through medicine.
-first used by the red cross
-
113
chaning nature of war
trech warfare
other weapons
war of attrition
end of war of movement
114
German propoganda
largely ineffective
did not have to promote recruitment
anti-British tone
defensive (justify their invasion of Belgium and France)
115
why was german propodanda inneffective
```
no proper organisation
no formal propoganda policies
use of elitist figures and intellectuals
did not connect with ordinary germans
failure therefore was bad for morale
```
116
German censorship
any information from the front was tightly controlled
they didn't want them to know any international peace efforts (didn't want the people to know there were alternate options and solutions to war)
no info about casualties, troop morale, deretions etc.
117
British propoganda success?
Has an official government branch responsible for propaganda (propoganda bureau)
supported by church
relatable figures
important for war of attrition
118
apects of total war
gov control of labour
gov control of resources
gov taking on different roles/functions
control on pop through cencorship,propaganda,conscription and security
